The Aceh Government has submitted a draft revision of Law Number 11/2006 concerning the Government of Aceh to the Secretary General of the Indonesian House of Representatives in Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, May 23, 2025. This effort is a strategic step to accelerate the discussion of the revision of Law Number 11/2006 which has been "sacred" in Aceh.
Why is it called "sacred"?
So far, there have been parties who have strongly rejected the revision of Law Number 11/2006 even though there are several articles that are detrimental to Aceh itself. Even when Law Number 17/2017 concerning General Elections was passed, some filed a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court because it was considered to be contrary to the spirit of Aceh's special regulations.
In fact, from the beginning there have been several controversial articles, including the issue of limiting Special Autonomy funds, the 12-mile limit for oil and gas revenue sharing between Aceh and the Center, and several articles on general elections and regional head elections, including the recruitment of organizers.
In the end, a regulation still adapts to the times and conditions. Times change, conditions and situations follow. We welcome the agenda of amending the special law for Aceh, as far as it concerns the future welfare of the Acehnese people to a better gateway from various aspects of life.
The issue of articles that need to be amended is an important thing that should be discussed openly by inviting various experts in their fields. The measure is the common interest, not just the interests of political elites, both local and central.
In the midst of the revision discourse, the issue of requesting money to regional heads in Aceh emerged. The news blew after a meeting of regional heads in Aceh with the Aceh Government. Regional heads are expected to deposit from IDR 500 million to billions to encourage the acceleration of discussions on the revision of Law Number 11/2006 in the DPR-RI.
Without any lubricant, the discussion of the revision of Law Number 11/2006 must take a winding path, especially since the regulation is included in the medium-term national legislative program, 2024 - 2029. The revision of the special Aceh regulation is not yet a priority because it is ranked 135th out of the entire national legislative program.
The existence of deposits for members of the DPR-RI to encourage the acceleration of the discussion of the regulation is no longer a public secret. Although always denied, the issue always arises. Several members of the DPR-RI are suspected of buying and selling crucial articles for certain regulations. It is not surprising that then there are controversial articles and even laws that passed in Senayan, including the Cipta Karya Law which until now continues to be opposed by the wider community.
We hope that the issue of the request for money is not true, but only a passing expression from the political elite in Aceh. We also hope that the DPR-RI will include the discussion of the revision of Law Number 11/2006 as a priority, reminding that several of the list of changes are related to the approaching deadline, such as special autonomy funds.
All elements in Aceh, even at the national level, must encourage discussion of the revision of the regulation openly and without any pretext.[]
